Under normal conditions, air ducts in your home need to be cleaned periodically to keep contaminants such as mold, dust, and debris out.
The largest wildfire in the history of the state ravaging the countryside adds issues. Now ash, soot, and smoke need to be cleared out before further damage to the home can occur.
Clean air ducts don’t just improve the air quality inside the home. They can also reduce energy bills and prevent costly replacements and repairs. The flow of air through a home keeps pet smells down and extends the life of furniture and appliances.
Having your air ducts cleaned by a service will be highly advantageous in the coming months to clear out the wildfire vestiges. Getting a cleaning sooner than later will improve the health of the house and the household. Don’t wait until spring to deal with immediate issues.
Getting Air Ducts Cleaned Professionally
Having air ducts cleaned provides a series of benefits and prevents a series of negatives. Let’s go through this carrot and stick style.
The Sticks:
- Mold Issues
- Dust Everywhere
- Insect Infiltration
- Allergen Alerts
The Carrots:
- System Durability
- Lower Energy Costs
- Clean Living
- Thermostat Precision
The Sticks
These problems serve as a reminder of why you should get air ducts cleaned. Every day homes across the state see instructions from natural elements. To keep the outside and the inside world separate measures must be taken.
Mold Issues
Even if nobody in the household suffers from asthma or serious allergies, mold can still be harmful. Mold forms when accumulations of particles become moist over time.
Removing the moisture isn’t an option when the external and internal temperatures of a house are different. That leaves removing the particles and build-up that can begin housing mold growths.
Hazards presented by mold include more than just hard breathing. Mold can irritate the skin, eyes, and throat. Stop itching and start living with a quick duct cleaning.
Dust Everywhere
Dust accumulation should be a no-brainer. Every year when you kick on the heat for the first time the house fills with that smell. You know that smell.
That is the smell of burning dust getting blown out of the ducts and into the home. When you get your air ducts cleaned in the spring all of the build-up that gets cleaned out shows what could have been in your home if the ducts didn’t work.
Keeping the ducts clean reduces the dust accumulation inside the home. This means less cleaning and less wear on electronics, appliances, and surfaces.
Insect Infiltration
Over time, the clogged material in ducts will start to erode the seals and filters. When this happens, insects and vermin get holes to come through.
Even if the seals remain intact, accumulation over time can create prime areas for nests and hives. Before you end up with a record-breaking wasp hive, get the ducts looked at and cleaned out.
Allergen Alerts
For homes that have family members with allergy problems, a properly maintained HVAC system is a must. Keeping everything tidy helps the family to breathe, and rest, easy.
However, even if nobody has an acute allergy to any environmental substance, prolonged exposure over time can trigger allergic responses. Lower your risk of eventual exposure and flare up by keeping things tidy as much as possible.
The Carrots
Now that the fear tactics have been dispensed with, let’s get into how having air ducts cleaned periodically benefit you.
System Durability
Even if you avoid that wasp hive problem already mentioned, build up in the system can cause issues to the seals inside the system. Clogged filters don’t just produce bad air. In general, anything left in the system for too long has a chance of rupturing parts and breaking down.
Cleaning the system professionally removes detritus and build-up to keep corrosive and abrasive substances from creating holes and moving you closer to structural damage.
Lower Energy Costs
A system with dirty filters, clogged intakes, and dirty vents has a lot of extra work to do to push air around the home. When the system has to work harder, it works less well, generating waste heat and wasting power.
This has a two-fold effect.
First, the system has to push harder to get the same temperature and air motion going. This adds wear to the system, pushing you ever closer to a total replacement of costly repair.
Secondly, the power output for motors goes up as they need to do more pushing. Getting the air ducts cleaned lowers both of these issues.
Clean Living
A properly maintained air duct system doesn’t just cut costs and reduce serious issues. It also invigorates the household. Increased air flow reduces odor from food and pets.
Dust and other particles that do get into the house through the non-sealed portals (doors and windows) will be pushed out faster, reducing allergy risks and dirt build up.
Especially around a kitchen, keeping particles shoved to the side and not settling on the stove can have a tremendous effect on health.
Thermostat Precision
A clean system gets the job done quickly and efficiently. This helps the thermostat not only to rise and fall to the appropriate temperature swiftly, but it prevents issues with variance.
Thermostat variance occurs when buildups affect sensor areas. A house with the air ducts cleaned and maintained has fewer variance points so thermostats give accurate readings.
Nobody likes to set a thermostat and then sit in the hot (or cold) spot of the living room.
Added Perspective
If you would like to learn more about duct cleaning services in your area, and the many benefits of duct services, check out our blog. We like to give as much information as we can to help you make decisions about the investment that is your home.
If you want details and estimates on a how to get your air ducts cleaned, you can contact us. We look forward to scheduling you for a free estimate or to answer any questions you may have.